Door indicator



Jan, 27,

o. BERGSTROM DOOR INDICATOR 5, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan.

miter/n mg I Jan.

O. BERGSTROM noon inmcnon Filed Jan. 5, 1920 2 Shuts-Sheet 2 MOW a;

Patented Jan. 27, 1925.

OTTO BERGSTIROM, OF BRIDGEFORT, CONNECTICUT.

DOOR INDICATOR.

Application filed. January 5, 1920. Se al N- 349,538.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, O'r'ro BEResrRoM, a subject of 'Wiborg, Finland, residing at #123 Hope Street, Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Door Indicator, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in signal apparatus and deals particularly with that type of structure generally applicable to ofi'ices, etc., wherein a visual signal is set up to notify the inquiring person whether the occupant of the office is either in or out.

The principal object of the present invention resides in the novel manner whereby I am enabled'to give both an audible and a visual signal which may be set to give one or both indications according to the desires of theoccupant.

Another object of the present invention is to include in an electric bell circuit a visual signal which may be flashed into view upon closing of the bell ringing switch.

Vith these and other objects in view it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that certain variations therefrom may be resorted to without sacrificing any of the principles of the present invention and the scope of protection contemplated will appear from the claims.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the device as it will appear when in attached position looking from the outside of the door, Fig. 2 is a view of the device as the same will appear from the inside of the door. Fig. 3 is a'diagrammatica-l view of the electric circuit through the various parts of the device. Fig. i is a front elevation of the device with the easing removed. Fig. 5 is a side elevation as viewed from the left'hand side of Fig. 4;. Fig. 6 is a side elevation as viewed from the right hand side of Fig. 1'. Fig. 7 is a top view of Fig. t with the casing in section and Fig. 8 is a vertical section of the switch button.

' Referring more in detail to the drawings wherein similar letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views, 1 indicates a base plate upon which the visual signal and its operating instrumentalities are positioned.

Arranged upon this base 1 is broken.

Transversely journale'd at 7 between upstanding ears 67 on the base is a shaft 8, one end of which is provided with a spool or hub portion 9. Vertically journaled at 6 in the upstanding ear 6 is a transversely extending member 10, one end of which is provided with an aperture 11, adapted for reception of a finger 12 on the offset arm 13. This arm 13 may be formed integrally with the armature bar 3 or if desired may be made as a separate element and secured thereto. The opposite end of the member is provided with a downwardly extending arm 14: to which is secured at 14 a flexible pulling element 15 which is wound aboutthe hub 9, and ultimately attached to the free end at 14: of the downwardly extending end of arm lat.

Secured in any suitable manner to the shaft 8 is a segmentally shaped sign 16 which should be transparent, and have imprinted thereon the word out. Arranged beneath the transverse shaft 8 and preferably centrally thereof, is an electric light 17. When the circuit is completed in magnetic'coils 2 the armature 3 is attracted which moves the offset arm 13 in outward direction causing the arm 10 to move about its pivotal point moving the arm 14 thereof in a downward direction, this arm being connected to the hub 9 by the flexible pulling element 15 will transmit a rotative motion to the shaft 8 and thereby swing the transparent sign into alignment with the light. The base plate 1 has also secured thereto an upstanding bracket indicated at 18 supporting on the outer end thereof a dial 19 having numerals to indicate the hours from one to twelve.

A hand 18 is adapted to transverse over this dial and is to be actuated by means of a shaft 19 extending to the rear of the device.

All of the structure so far described is adapted to be arranged upon the outside face of the door and in order to conceal the working parts of the apparatus, a suitable cover indicated at 20 is 1'0- vided. This cover has cut out portlons corresponding to the position of the dial and a" rectangular slot at the visualsignal. Connecting clips 2121 are provided at the base plate 1 for the purpose of making proper electrical connection thereto. Also arranged on the face of the door is a switch closing element 22 such as a push button.

Arranged on the rear face of the-door for.

the purposes of giving an audible signal is a vibrating electro magnet theactuations of which are adapted to ring a bell 23. Also arranged on inner face of the door are two switch plugs'indicated at 24 a.nd.25 the inner ends of which are pointed as at 26 and adapted to be moved between spring bars 27727. These switch plugs are adapted for slight reciprocation which when in out position allow spring arms to come in contact with :the outer end of the plug thereby permitting the circuit to be complete, whereas in the in position the spring arms are held apart and rest upon insulated portions of the plug. In order to supply the necessary current for the successful operation of the device any form ofbattery maybe employed. a

The circuit being traced as follows: from battery to wire 28 which connected to one of the contact arms 27 adjacent the button 24, then across the metallic point 26 of butto-n 24 to the opposite contact arm 27 which is connected to one side of the bell by the wire 29, and from the bell the wire 30 is connected to one of the spring arms 27 adjacent the annuncia'torbutton 25 and from the arm 27 to the switch 22 by wire 31, through the switch and from the latter to the opposite side of the battery by the wire 32. The complete circuit for the annunciator being as follows when the button 25 is pulled out, from the battery to the wire 28 to the spring contact arm 27 of the bell ringing button 24, from said arm 27"by wire 33 to one side of the annunciator, and from the annunciator through a wire 34 which isconnected to one ofthe spring contact arms 27 adjacent the annunciator button 25, across the metallic point 26 of said button to the opposite spring arm 27, from-thence to the battery through the switch 22 by'the wires 31 and 32.

A complete operation of the device is as follows: lVhen both plugs 24 and 25 are in the in position as indicated in the diagrammatical sketch, both the bell circuit and audible signal are inactive. Vhen the plug 24 is pulled out it completes the circuit to the bell so that by pushing upon the button 22 the audibl'esignal is given. WVhen both plugs are pulled out-the circuit to the bell and also to the visual signal is completed so that by pressing upon the button 22 both the said signals wil be actuated. The coils 2 being energized, will actuate the armature 3 and the arm 13, the movement of the latter will cause the member 10 to be rocked on its pivot and in doing so will pull on the element 15 which in'turn will revolve the shaft Sand swing the indicator 16 so that it may be seen through the opening in the cover. Therefore if the occuaant of the room or oflicedesires to vacate or any special len 11 of time he should see that button 25 is pu led out so that the inquiring person by pressing on the button 22 will be notified that the occupant is out. Before leaving, the occu ant will also set the dial to indicate the our that he expects to return. This will also enable the inquiring person to ascertain the time that he can probably see the occupant of the room or oflice.

lVhat I desire to obtain by Letters of Pat- 'ent is:

1. A visual signalling device for a. door indicator comprising a base plate having ear members, a shaftpivotally mounted in said members, said shaft having a hub at one end thereof, a signal plate connected to said shaft, an electro-magnet on said plate having its axis parallel to the plane of said plate, an armature therefor pivoted on the plate and adapted to swin in a. plane parallel to the plane of said pl ate,and an operative connection between the armature and the hub of the shaft consisting of a member pivoted toone of said ears, one end of said member being connected to the armature and means connecting the other end of said pivoted member with the hub whereby the signal may of the electro-magnet.

2. A visual signalling device for a door indicator comprising a base plate having ear members, a shaft pivotally mounted in saidmembers, said shaft having a hub at one end thereof, a signal plate connected to said shaft, an electro-magnet on said plate having its axis parallel to the plane of said plate, an armature therefor pivoted on the plate and adapted to swing in a plane parallel to the plane of said plate, and a transversely extending vertically pivoted bar member, one end of said TIlOllllJt'! being connected to the armature and the other end of said member having flexible means connected to the hub whereby the signal plate may be actuated upon energization of the electromagnet.

3. A visual signal for a door indicating device having a base plate, an elcctro-x1mgnet secured to the base plate with its axis parallelto the plane of said plate, an annature for the electro-magnet pivoted on said plate and adapted to swing in a plane parallel to the plane of said plate. a transversely extending shaft PlXOtlllY mounted on the be actuated upon energizatioir base plate, a signal plate secured to said pivot through movement of the transversely shaft and a transversely extending bar memextending bar member upon energization of her pivoted on the base plate at right angles the electro-magnet. 10 t0 the shaft and having one of its ends oper- In testimony whereof I aflix my signature 5 atively connected to the armature and means this 3rd day of J anuray, 1920.

connecting its opposite end to the shaft for effecting rotation of the signal plate on its OQTTO BERGSTROM. 

